resurrection(复活)-第6节

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〃Councillor　of　State；　＇grades　such　as　this　are　common　in　Russia；
and　mean　very　little＇　J。　M。　Nikiforoff！〃

〃I　am　he；〃　said　the　dignified…looking　man；　well　versed　in　the
habits　of　the　law　court。

〃Ivan　Semionovitch　Ivanoff；　retired　colonel！

〃Here！〃　replied　a　thin　man；　in　the　uniform　of　a　retired　officer。

〃Merchant　of　the　Second　Guild；　Peter　Baklasheff！〃

〃Here　we　are；　ready！〃　said　the　good…humoured　merchant；　with　a
broad　smile。

〃Lieutenant　of　the　Guards；　Prince　Dmitri　Nekhludoff！〃

〃I　am　he；〃　answered　Nekhludoff。

The　usher　bowed　to　him；　looking　over　his　pince…nez；　politely　and
pleasantly；　as　if　wishing　to　distinguish　him　from　the　others。

〃Captain　Youri　Demitrievitch…Dantchenko；　merchant；　Grigori
Euphimitch　Kouleshoff；〃　etc。　All　but　two　were　present。

〃Now　please　to　come　to　the　court；　gentlemen；〃　said　the　usher；
pointing　to　the　door；　with　an　amiable　wave　of　his　hand。

All　moved　towards　the　door；　pausing　to　let　each　other　pass。　Then
they　went　through　the　corridor　into　the　court。

The　court　was　a　large；　long　room。　At　one　end　there　was　a　raised
platform；　with　three　steps　leading　up　to　it；　on　which　stood　a
table；　covered　with　a　green　cloth　trimmed　with　a　fringe　of　a
darker　shade。　At　the　table　were　placed　three　arm…chairs；　with
high…carved　oak　backs；　on　the　wall　behind　them　hung　a
full…length；　brightly…coloured　portrait　of　the　Emperor　in　uniform
and　ribbon；　with　one　foot　in　advance；　and　holding　a　sword。　In　the
right　corner　hung　a　case；　with　an　image　of　Christ　crowned　with
thorns；　and　beneath　it　stood　a　lectern；　and　on　the　same　side　the
prosecuting　attorney's　desk。　On　the　left；　opposite　the　desk；　was
the　secretary's　table；　and　in　front　of　it；　nearer　the　public；　an
oak　grating；　with　the　prisoners'　bench；　as　yet　unoccupied；　behind
it。　Besides　all　this；　there　were　on　the　right　side　of　the
platform　high…backed　ashwood　chairs　for　the　jury；　and　on　the
floor　below　tables　for　the　advocates。　All　this　was　in　the　front
part　of　the　court；　divided　from　the　back　by　a　grating。

The　back　was　all　taken　up　by　seats　in　tiers。　Sitting　on　the　front
seats　were　four　women；　either　servant　or　factory　girls；　and　two
working　men；　evidently　overawed　by　the　grandeur　of　the　room；　and
not　venturing　to　speak　above　a　whisper。

Soon　after　the　jury　had　come　in　the　usher　entered；　with　his
sideward　gait；　and　stepping　to　the　front；　called　out　in　a　loud
voice；　as　if　he　meant　to　frighten　those　present；　〃The　Court　is
coming！〃　Every　one　got　up　as　the　members　stepped　on　to　the
platform。　Among　them　the　president；　with　his　muscles　and　fine
whiskers。　Next　came　the　gloomy　member　of　the　Court；　who　was　now
more　gloomy　than　ever；　having　met　his　brother…in…law；　who
informed　him　that　he　had　just　called　in　to　see　his　sister　（the
member's　wife）；　and　that　she　had　told　him　that　there　would　be　no
dinner　there。

〃So　that；　evidently；　we　shall　have　to　call　in　at　a　cook　shop；〃
the　brother…in…law　added；　laughing。

〃It　is　not　at　all　funny；〃　said　the　gloomy　member；　and　became
gloomier　still。

Then　at　last　came　the　third　member　of　the　Court；　the　same　Matthew
Nikitich；　who　was　always　late。　He　was　a　bearded　man；　with　large；
round；　kindly　eyes。　He　was　suffering　from　a　catarrh　of　the
stomach；　and；　according　to　his　doctor's　advice；　he　had　begun
trying　a　new　treatment；　and　this　had　kept　him　at　home　longer　than
usual。　Now；　as　he　was　ascending　the　platform；　he　had　a　pensive
air。　He　was　in　the　habit　of　making　guesses　in　answer　to　all　sorts
of　self…put　questions　by　different　curious　means。　Just　now　he　had
asked　whether　the　new　treatment　would　be　beneficial；　and　had
decided　that　it　would　cure　his　catarrh　if　the　number　of　steps
from　the　door　to　his　chair　would　divide　by　three。　He　made　26
steps；　but　managed　to　get　in　a　27th　just　by　his　chair。

The　figures　of　the　president　and　the　members　in　their　uniforms；
with　gold…embroidered　collars；　looked　very　imposing。　They　seemed
to　feel　this　themselves；　and；　as　if　overpowered　by　their　own
grandeur；　hurriedly　sat　down　on　the　high　backed　chairs　behind　the
table　with　the　green　cloth；　on　which　were　a　triangular　article
with　an　eagle　at　the　top；　two　glass　vasessomething　like　those
in　which　sweetmeats　are　kept　in　refreshment　roomsan　inkstand；
pens；　clean　paper；　and　good；　newly…cut　pencils　of　different
kinds。

The　public　prosecutor　came　in　with　the　judges。　With　his　portfolio
under　one　arm；　and　swinging　the　other；　he　hurriedly　walked　to　his
seat　near　the　window；　and　was　instantly　absorbed　in　reading　and
looking　through　the　papers；　not　wasting　a　single　moment；　in　hope
of　being　ready　when　the　business　commenced。　He　had　been　public
prosecutor　but　a　short　time；　and　had　only　prosecuted　four　times
before　this。　He　was　very　ambitious；　and　had　firmly　made　up　his
mind　to　get　on；　and　therefore　thought　it　necessary　to　get　a
conviction　whenever　he　prosecuted。　He　knew　the　chief　facts　of　the
poisoning　case；　and　had　already　formed　a　plan　of　action。　He　only
wanted　to　copy　out　a　few　points　which　he　required。

The　secretary　sat　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　platform；　and；
having　got　ready　all　the　papers　he　might　want；　was　looking
through　an　article；　prohibited　by　the　censor；　which　he　had
procured　and　read　the　day　before。　He　was　anxious　to　have　a　talk
about　this　article　with　the　bearded　member；　who　shared　his　views；
but　wanted　to　look　through　it　once　more　before　doing　so。


CHAPTER　VIII。

SWEARING　IN　THE　JURY。

The　president；　having　looked　through　some　papers　and　put　a　few
questions　to　the　usher　and　the　secretary；　gave　the　order　for　the
prisoners　to　be　brought　in。

The　door　behind　the　grating　was　instantly　opened；　and　two
gendarmes；　with　caps　on　their　heads；　and　holding　naked　swords　in
their　hands；　came　in；　followed　by　the　prisoners；　a　red…haired；
freckled　man；　and　two　women。　The　man　wore　a　prison　cloak；　which
was　too　long　and　too　wide　for　him。　He　stuck　out　his　thumbs；　and
held　his　arms　close　to　his　sides；　thus　keeping　the　sleeves；　which
were　also　too　long；　from　slipping　over　his　hands。　Without　looking
at　the　judges　he　gazed　steadfastly　at　the　form；　and　passing　to
the　other　side　of　it；　he　sat　down　carefully　at　the　very　edge；
leaving　plenty　of　room　for　the　others。　He　fixed　his　eyes　on　the
president；　and　began　moving　the　muscles　of　his　cheeks；　as　if
whispering　something。　The　woman　who　came　next　was　also　dressed　in
a　prison　cloak；　and　had　a　prison　kerchief　round　her　head。　She　had
a　sallow　complexion；　no　eyebrows　or　lashes；　and　very　red　eyes。
This　woman　appeared　perfectly　calm。　Having　caught　her　cloak
against　something；　she　detached　it　carefully；　without　any　haste；
and　sat　down。

The　third　prisoner　was　Maslova。

As　soon　as　she　appeared；　the　eyes　of　all　the　men　in　the　court
turned　her　way；　and　remained　fixed　on　her　white　face；　her
sparklingly…brilliant　black　eyes　and　the　swelling　bosom　under　the
prison　cloak。　Even　the　gendarme　whom　she　passed　on　her　way　to　her
seat　looked　at　her　fixedly　till　she　sat　down；　and　then；　as　if
feeling　guilty；　hurriedly　turned　away；　shook　himself；　and　began
staring　at　the　window　in　front　of　him。

The　president　paused　until　the　prisoners　had　taken　their　seats；
and　when　Maslova　was　seated；　turned　to　the　secretary。

Then　the　usual　procedure　commenced；　the　counting　of　the　jury；
remarks　about　those　who　had　not　come；　the　fixing　of　the　fines　to
be　exacted　from　them；　the　decisions　concerning　those　who　claimed
exemption；　the　appointing　of　reserve　jurymen。

Having　folded　up　some　bits　of　paper　and　put　them　in　one　of　the
glass　vases；　the　president　turned　up　the　gold…embroidered　cuffs
of　his　uniform　a　little　way；　and　began　drawing　the　lots；　one　by
one；　and　opening　them。　Nekhludoff　was　among　the　jurymen　thus
drawn。　Then；　having　let　down　his　sleeves；　the　president　requested
the　priest　to　swear　in　the　jury。

The　old　priest；　with　his　puffy；　red　face；　his　brown　gown；　and　his
gold　cross　and　little　order；　laboriously　moving　his　stiff　legs；
came　up　to　the　lectern　beneath　the　icon。

The　jurymen　got　up；　and　crowded　towards　the　lectern。

〃Come　up；　please；〃　said　the　priest；　pulling　at　the　cross　on　his
breast　with　his　plump　hand；　and　waiting　till　all　the　jury　had
drawn　near。　When　they　had　all　come　up　the　steps　of　the　platform；
the　priest　passed　his　bald；　grey　head　sideways　through　the　greasy
opening　of　the　stole；　and；　having　rearranged　his　thin　hair；　he
again　turned　to　the　jury。　〃Now；　raise　your　right　arms　in　this
way；　and　put　your　fingers　together；　thus；〃　he　said；　with　his
tremulous　old　voice；　lifting　his　fat；　dimpled　hand；　and　putting
the　thumb　and　two　first　fingers　together；　as　if　taking　a　pinch　of
something。　〃Now；　repeat　after　me；　'I　promise　and　swear；　by　the
Almighty　God；　by　His　holy　gospels；　and　by　the　life…giving　cross
of　our　Lord；　that　in　this　work　which；'〃　he　said；　pausing　between
each　sentence〃don't　let　your　arm　down；　hold　it　like　this；〃　he
remarked　to　a　young　man　who　had　lowered　his　arm〃'that　in　this
work　which　。　。　。　'〃

The　dignified　man　with　the　whiskers；　the　colonel；　the　merchant；
and　several　more　held　their　arms　and　fingers　as　the　priest
required　of　them；　very　high；　very　exactly；　as　if　they　liked　doing
it；　others　did　it　unwillingly　and　carelessly。　Some　repeated　the
words　too　loudly；　and　with　a　defiant　tone；